Movies and TV shows captivate our imagination, transporting us to fantastical worlds and intense dramas. But what happens when the line between fiction and reality blurs? The thrill of the movies be so tempting that people end up following the crimes that appear on screen. The glorifying visual presentation may inspire or perhaps compel the audience to do most absurd activities they would not otherwise think about.
While most viewers are content with the thrill of on-screen action, some take their obsession too far, copying the crimes they see. From heists inspired by Hollywood blockbusters to chilling acts of violence mirroring TV dramas, the influence of media on real-life actions can be both fascinating and terrifying. Dive into the unsettling world where entertainment crosses the boundary into reality, revealing shocking instances of real life crimes inspired by movies and TV.
15 Real Life Crimes Inspired By Movies and TV
Here are the list of 15 real life crimes inspired by movies and tv.
Twilight
“Twilight” is a romantic fantasy franchise about a teenage girl who falls in love with a vampire, exploring themes of love, immortality, and the supernatural. The series inspired disturbing real-life behaviors. In Iowa, a 13-year-old girl was bitten by a male classmate who had also bitten 10 others in a month. The boy’s father attributed his son’s actions to his love for “Twilight.”
This behavior led to the boy being referred to a juvenile correction center. Additionally, there were reports of U.S. teens engaging in biting and sucking each other’s blood, believing they were real vampires, which posed serious health risks. These incidents underscore the influence that fictional stories can have on impressionable youths.
Breaking Bad
“Breaking Bad” follows Walter White, a high school chemistry teacher turned methamphetamine manufacturer, exploring themes of desperation, transformation, and moral decay. The series inspired real-life crimes. Stephen W. Doran, an ex-Massachusetts House of Representatives member, was diagnosed with stage three melanoma in 2012, mirroring Walter White’s situation.
Facing a death sentence, Doran turned to manufacturing meth, becoming a drug kingpin over the course of a year. Similarly, at Henderson State University in Arkansas, two chemistry professors were caught producing methamphetamine in the school’s science lab. The suspicious smell from their lab led to police discovering their illegal activities. These cases highlight the dangerous allure of “breaking bad” in the face of personal and professional desperation.
Money Heist
Inspired by the web series “Money Heist,” Shaikh, an ICICI Bank cash custodian manager, orchestrated a Rs 34 crore heist. With the help of his sister and two others, he moved the cash to a rented room in Navi Mumbai, using an air conditioning duct to access the bank’s vault.
Shaikh disabled alarms, removed CCTV hard drives, and reported the cash as stolen. The case took nearly three months to solve, with police uncovering Shaikh as the mastermind. In another case,
The Dark Knight Rises
“The Dark Knight Rises” had raised the bar for crime movies with complicated characters with troubled mental conditions, and that may have seemed appealing to many, especially the character Joker.
A high school student mimicking the Joker’s scars and the Dendermonde nursery attack in Belgium, where a man dressed as the Joker killed three and wounded twelve, highlight the deep influence film characters can have on people.
Interview with the Vampire
“Interview with the Vampire” explores the dark themes of immortality, moral ambiguity, and the existential dread of eternal life. Through the eyes of vampires, the story delves into their complex relationships and internal conflicts as they navigate centuries of existence, questioning their humanity and the burdens of living forever.
This film’s intense impact was evident in 1994 when Daniel Sterling, after watching the movie, told his girlfriend, Lisa Stellwagen, he would kill her and drink her blood. The next day, he stabbed her seven times and drank her blood for several minutes. Stellwagen survived, and Sterling was imprisoned. He admitted the film influenced him but did not entirely blame it for his actions.
Scream
The American horror movie “Scream” surfaced a whole new array of nightmares with its twisted story of high school girls being stalked, stabbed and murdered. Later on the release, there were plenty of copycat murders around the world inspired by the storyline.
Thierry Jardim a 24 year old man took revenge on the rejection of a 15 year old teen when she refused him for romantic advances, he stabbed her 30 times with two knives, the murder was executed based on the storyline of The Scream.
Queen of the Damned
“Queen of the Damned,” released in February 2002, features the story of the vampire queen Akasha and explores themes of immortality and dark seduction. The film had a disturbing influence on Allan Menzies, a young Scottish man obsessed with the character Akasha. By December 2002, he had watched the movie over 100 times and believed that killing someone would make him a vampire.
Triggered by an imagined insult to Akasha, Menzies brutally murdered his best friend, Thomas McKendrick, by hitting him with a hammer and stabbing him 42 times. He then drank McKendrick’s blood and ate parts of his head, claiming he was instructed by the character Akasha. Menzies was later found dead in his prison cell. This case highlights the dangerous impact fictional characters can have on vulnerable individuals.
Money Train
Money Train” is an action thriller about two transit cops who plan to rob a train carrying subway revenue. The film explores themes of loyalty, corruption, and desperate measures. Following the film’s release, New York saw a spate of seven subway robberies mimicking the movie’s plot. Criminals doused token booths in gasoline, threatening to set them on fire unless the clerks handed over cash.
Tragically, one such attack resulted in the death of 50-year-old Harvey Kaufmann, sparking a heated debate on movie violence that influenced the 1996 Presidential Election. Republican nominee Bob Dole urged Americans to boycott the film, arguing that the public could express their outrage by avoiding “Money Train” at the box office. These events highlight the potential for movies to inspire real-life criminal activities.
Taxi Driver
“Taxi Driver,” a Martin Scorsese classic, revolves around Travis Bickle, an isolated vigilante who plots to kill a politician and tries to save teenage prostitute Iris (Jodie Foster) from the streets. The film explores themes of loneliness, obsession, and moral decay in urban America.
The powerful impact of “Taxi Driver” became evident when John Hinckley Jr., after watching the film, attempted to assassinate U.S. President Ronald Reagan. Hinckley later confessed that his actions were driven by a desire to demonstrate his love for Jodie Foster, who starred in the movie.
Fight Club
The movie “Fight Club” depicted how an underground fight club turned into a terrorist organization called Project Mayhem,where they engaged in large-scale acts of destruction. In New Jersey and St. Louis, daycare workers established a “Toddler Fight Club,” where they orchestrated physical fights among children, imitating the secretive and violent nature of the clubs from the movie.
Another incident took place back in 2009, A 17-year-old, copying Brad Pitt’s character from the movie set off a blast outside a Starbucks on Memorial Day, planning his own “project mayhem,” according to police. He even told a friend to watch the news for his actions. The teen picked Starbucks because it was a target in the movie.
American Psycho
“American Psycho” portrays Patrick Bateman, a handsome New York City professional by day and a brutal murderer by night, exploring themes of identity, consumerism, and the dark side of human nature. The film’s disturbing influence was evident in several real-life crimes. Michael Hernandez, inspired by the movie, stabbed his classmate Jaime Gough to death, aspiring to become a serial killer.
In 2012, 19-year-old Brian Douglas White, who frequently quoted “American Psycho” on social media, murdered his ex-girlfriend’s mother and new boyfriend with an axe before taking his own life. A month later, Canadian ex-porn star Luka Magnotta murdered international student Jun Lin with an ice pick while the “American Psycho” soundtrack played in the background, and he uploaded a video of the murder titled “1 Lunatic, 1 Ice Pick.
Natural Born Killers
Oliver Stone’s 1994 movie “Natural Born Killers” has been more notorious for inspiring copycat killers. It’s loosely based on the 1957-1958 killing spree by Charles Starkweather and Caril Ann Fugate. The most infamous copycats are teenage couple Benjamin Darras and Sarah Edmondson, who, after repeatedly watching the movie while on LSD, went on a crime spree, killing one person and paralyzing another.
Again, Fourteen-year-old Barry Loukaitis entered his algebra classroom with a .30-30 hunting rifle and two handguns, shooting and killing two students and the algebra teacher. Emulating the film’s ending, Loukaitis took teacher Jon Lane hostage in his escape attempt. Lane managed to wrestle the gun from Loukaitis and restrained him until the police arrived.
KGF2
KGF, a movie about a rising gangster navigating crime and politics, has inspired a young guy of 19 years to murder people only to become famous in his area like the main character in the movie. The young man reportedly ended up killing 5 people in total.
Dexter
Dexter, the tv show, is about a forensic analyst who leads a double life, a crime solver by the day, a serial killer by the night. Now this amusing story has inspired not once, but multiple crimes around the world. Two years into airing the show, a guy form Canada, brought two guys into his movie studio stating he was going to shoot a film about a serial killer with a sword, only to murder one of the guys while the other one escaped the predator.
Later the police found a hard drive full of footage of people, and the killer came under the light saying, “Way too many amazing people gave so much of themselves to make that film magic. I will see it completed if it is literally the last thing I do.”
Another guy, working in a care-home, stabbed his mother 53 times to death, later confessing to his sister. Another similar incident happend when a 17 years old boyfriend stabbed his girlfriend and cut it open.
The Matrix
The Matrix, being the groundbreaking movie of 1999 had managed to set fashion trends at the time with sunglasses and trench coats, however, it does not end with the fashion statements. The copycat murders emerged with the popularity of the movie, back in 2002, Vadim Mieseges and Tonda Lynn Ansley both killed their landlords, citing “The Matrix” as their reason.
That same year, sniper Lee Boyd mentioned “The Matrix” in his jail sketches. Again, in 2003, Joshua Cooke claimed that he was in the Matrix when he murdered his parents.
Impact of Media Portrayals
Media is the reflection of society, consequently time media reshapes society, they both go hand in hand. The characters portrayed in the movies/series are usually made to look and behave similar to the mass, which makes people connect more to them, people tend to put themselves in the characters’ shoes to share empathy.
While entertainment is a significant aspect of our culture, it is crucial to recognize how certain depictions can inspire harmful actions. Understanding these connections highlights the responsibility of content creators to consider the broader implications of their work and the importance of critical consumption by audiences.
The Role of Responsibility in Storytelling
Storytellers in the media wield significant influence, making their responsibility paramount to ensure their narratives do not negatively impact audiences or incite harmful actions. Responsible storytelling involves inclusive representation, avoiding harmful stereotypes, and maintaining factual accuracy to prevent misinformation, avoiding extreme brutality.
Ethical considerations, such as obtaining consent and respecting privacy, are crucial, especially when dealing with real people or sensitive topics. Cultural sensitivity and respect for traditions help prevent misinterpretation and appropriation. Media creators must also be aware of the potential impact of their stories, ensuring they do not incite violence or spread hate.
By promoting positive change, highlighting social issues, and challenging injustices, storytellers can inspire constructive behavior. Balancing artistic freedom with ethical responsibility ensures that creativity does not come at the expense of societal well-being, fostering a media environment that informs, inspires, and supports positive societal norms.
Takeaways
That brings us to the end of the crime stories that you have already seen in the movies mentioned above. The influence of movies and TV shows on real-life crimes is a sobering reminder of the powerful impact media can have on behavior. As we navigate through media, the conscious choice of consuming contents that would not put unhealthy implications on us is our responsibility.
Ensure that you don’t take ideas from a movie that’s made solely for entertainment. Make sure to stay mindful of their effects on society can help mitigate the negative consequences and promote a more thoughtful engagement with the media.
References
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- https://collider.com/natural-born-killers-real-crimes/
- https://collider.com/queen-of-the-damned-murder-allan-menzies/#:~:text=Allan%20Menzies%2C%20who%20watched%20the,of%20the%20film’s%20fictional%20story.
- https://listverse.com/2021/09/24/top-10-real-life-crimes-inspired-by-the-hit-show-breaking-bad/
- https://www.thesun.co.uk/living/2101206/real-life-crimes-inspired-by-films-and-tv-shows-including-scream-copycat-murders-and-a-foiled-saw-torture-plot/
